In vehicles which are equipped with automatic transmissions, the shifting lever is movable from a "Park" position to other gear positions such as "Reverse," "Neutral," "Drive," "2nd Gear," and "1st Gear." In the serpentine type of shifter, a substantially horizontal detent plate or platform is provided with a detent opening in the plate in which the handle of the shifting lever dwells for the various "Park" and other gear positions. Therefore, when shifting the handle is required to be actuated in a direction lateral to the fore and aft direction. The lever is releasably held in the "Park" position and to take the transmission out of "Park," the handle is actuated side-wise out of the park notch and then rearwardly to either "Reverse," "Neutral," and other drive positions.
Presently, there is in existence steering lockout mechanisms located in the steering column of the vehicle which are adapted to prevent the shifting lever from being shifted until the steering mechanism is out of lock. In other words, such steering lockout mechanisms prevent the premature acceleration of the vehicle while the steering mechanism is locked. This has been accomplished by a cable extending from the steering lockout mechanism located in the steering column to the transmission shifter. The cable prevents the shifter from being actuated out of the "Park" position until the steering lockout mechanism is released and prevents the withdrawal of the ignition key from the ignition when the shifter is out of "Park." Efforts thus far made in developing mechanisms for locking the shifting lever in a park/lock position before the steering lockout mechanism is released have been very complicated, particularly in the serpentine type of shifter.
The object of the present invention is to provide a simplified, low-cost version of a lockout mechanism for preventing the driver from shifting a shifter lever from "Park" to another gear position only when the steering lock mechanism is released by actuation of the ignition key and for preventing the withdrawal of the ignition key from the ignition only after the shifter has returned to the "Park" position.